Republican governors take critical care away from everyone by refusing Medicaid expansion

[ProSense]

Republican governors take critical care away from everyone by refusing Medicaid expansion

by Joan McCarter

When the Affordable Care Act was written, it was without any kind of premonition that the Supreme Court would do something so cravenly political as to take the teeth out of the Medicaid expansion, making it optional. The law reconfigured Medicaid funding, taking away some of the subsidies for community hospitals that provide care for the uninsured under the assumption that providing expanded coverage to more of these people would lessen the hospitals' burden of uncompensated care. Because congressional Republicans won't do anything to fix the law, states that aren't taking the Medicaid expansion money are now seeing the repercussions.

At least five public hospitals closed this year and many more are scaling back services, mostly in states where Medicaid wasn’t expanded. Patients in areas with shuttered hospitals must travel as far as 40 miles (64 kilometers) to get care, causing delays that can result in lethal consequences, said Bruce Siegel, chief executive officer of America’s Essential Hospitals, a Washington-based advocacy group for facilities that treat large numbers of uninsured or low-income patients.

“Everyone in a community will be affected,” Siegel said. “We could see the end of life-saving services, and patients would bear the brunt.”

Hospitals have dismissed at least 5,000 employees across the country since June, mostly in states that haven’t expanded the joint state-federal Medicaid health program for the poor as anticipated under the U.S. health overhaul known as Obamacare. Hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee and Indiana University Health are among providers seeking cost savings in areas such as cancer treatment, mental health and infant care.

This is life and death at its most basic, as usual hitting red state populations the hardest. Because it's rural areas that will the most affected, where people will have to travel much greater distances to get care in a medical emergency. That heart attack or stroke victim who has to be transported 40 miles, after having to wait for an ambulance to reach them from who knows where, is a lot more likely to die or be permanently disabled than someone minutes away from care.

Republican governors and legislatures have made that choice, not just for the uninsured people in their states, but for everyone. You could have the best insurance available, but if you don't have a hospital to go to within minutes of an emergency, it's not going to make a damned bit of difference.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/25/1258302/-Republican-governors-take-critical-care-away-from-everyone-by-refusing-Medicaid-expansion

Stunning map of states refusing Medicaid expansion. 5 million hurt. TPM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024019515

The Cruelty of Republican States in One Chart
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023790604

In the heart of rural Kentucky
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024090488

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[EC]

2. And I'll just bet that the people that live in the

areas affected will blame Obamacare instead of the Governor. They'll have some off -the -wall reasoning that Obama closed the hospitals or clinics etc.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. That isn't necessarily true.

Our lame ass governor turned down Medicaid expansion even after being encouraged to accept it by our local Chamber of Commerce and many more normally conservative groups. The comments on his refusal in the local paper are running at least 10 to 1 against him. My only hope is that people will remember this (as well as his many other boneheaded moves) when election time rolls around next year. I thought we were going into a more reasonable time once Sarah was gone, but, boy, was I wrong. He is 10 times more dangerous to Alaskans -- and I know you all will find that hard to believe, but it is clear.

[ProSense]

4. Exactly, and Begich has been calling him out.

Begich blasts Alaska gov. for declining to expand Medicaid

By Jonathan Easley

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) criticized Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell (R) for announcing on Friday that he would decline federal funds to expand the Medicaid program in his home state.

“Governor Parnell’s announcement today means he is denying health insurance to as many as 40,000 Alaskans, which at the start is free to the state and eventually would cost no more than 10 cents on the dollar,” Begich said in a statement.

Begich is one of a handful of vulnerable Democrats facing reelection in 2014. He and the others are in the sticky position of having to stand by their support for the law while separating themselves from the nightmarish rollout.

“Aside from the obvious health benefits to Alaska families, the state Chamber of Commerce urged the governor to expand the program because it is also the right thing to do for Alaska businesses and the economy,” he added.

- more -

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/190453-begich-blasts-alaska-gov-for-declining-to

[Blue_In_AK]

12. The Koch Bros. are spending a fortune up here

against Mark. They've already been called out for an ad using an actress from Maryland pretending to be an Alaskan complaining about Mark's stand on the ACA. People saw through that right away. We all know each other up here, and she obviously wasn't "one of us."

[xmas74]

5. Our problem in Missouri isn't our governor

Nixon (D) wants the expansion-it's our buddies at Jeff City who hate it. Remember, these are the same people who wanted to revoke child labor laws and gave Rush Limbaugh a bust.

Our governor, who looks to make a bigger impact nationally in the next few years, isn't our problem. It's the idiots in the 'burbs and the really rural folks who keep voting for nasty, hateful representation in Jeff City.

[ProSense]

6. He and two other

Democratic Governors support the expansion, but are being blocked by by Republicans in their states (MT, MO and NH).

Bullock: Open to all options on Medicaid expansion
http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/bullock-open-to-all-options-on-medicaid-expansion/article_de9f768c-fbb2-11e2-8109-0019bb2963f4.html

Jay Nixon, Missouri Governor, Backs Medicaid Expansion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/jay-nixon-medicaid-expansion_n_2211925.html

Governor Maggie Hassan

Huge support for Medicaid expansion at yesterday's public hearing. Accepting the $2.5 billion in federal funds available for Medicaid expansion will strengthen our economy and help thousands of hard-working families access critical health coverage.

https://www.facebook.com/GovernorHassan/posts/659687414044068

[xmas74]

7. Nixon has that fight and Right to Work on his hands.

He's been fighting Right to Work tooth and nail. I'm worried about what will happen after 2016, once he leaves office. Unless we have someone just as strong Right to Work is a done deal. Sad to say but I suspect that Chris Koster (current state AG and Dem, former Repub) might be the strongest in that fight.

We were once the land of Truman but now he's rolling in his grave.

[ProSense]

8. Is he running, and can he win? n/t

[xmas74]

9. I believe Koster will run.

At least, there's been quite a bit of fundraising for him in the past few months. He's a bit more conservative but seems to stick with the party he has adopted. And his old party, the GOP, hates his guts and regularly wishes him dead.

The main flack he's getting right now has been over Daisy Coleman and that is because people didn't understand the job description of the state AG. He couldn't file against her accused rapist-in MO the job of the AG is that of representing the citizens of the state in more of a class action style suit (such as tobacco or in Koster's case it's the payday loan industry and collection agencies) and to represent the state in criminal appeals.

I don't know-I think he could win. Former prosecutor for Cass County (he had the John Robinson serial killer case), two term state AG, tough on crime, attacking predatory loan companies and harassing collection agencies-he could probably win, unless the GOP drags out a monster and I can't think of who that would be.

The bigger question is:where is Jay Nixon going next? I'd love to see him run against Blunt but he says he'll never run for Senate again. I suspect he's in for bigger and better things on the national scene.

[ProSense]

10. Thanks for the insights.

"The bigger question is:where is Jay Nixon going next? I'd love to see him run against Blunt but he says he'll never run for Senate again. I suspect he's in for bigger and better things on the national scene."

That would be something: Missouri with two Democratic Senators.

[xmas74]

11. Nixon would be very good as a senator.

NYT put out an article on him a few months ago as a possible presidential candidate. I don't see that, though Cabinet member after this term would be up his alley. Personally, I want him in that senate seat. Then again, I wanted Robin Carnahan in it last time.